Lyon: Britain short on skill

Jamie Lyon has stoked the fires ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with Great Britain by claiming the skill level in Australian rugby league is far superior to its UK equivalent.

Lyon recently returned to his native Australia after several seasons in Super League with St Helens, culminating in this month's Grand Final victory over Hull. The 24-year-old has been rewarded with his first Kangaroos cap for three years and appears to have begun the mind games in earnest ahead of the weekend encounter in Sydney.

"The standard's a lot better here with the Australian team compared to the club over there," Lyon said.

"If you look at the team, it's a great squad, there's skill all over the park, so that's probably been the main difference. I think the skill level is probably the biggest (difference), the skill and speed all across the park - I don't think you can really compare it."

Lyon, who signed a four-year deal with NRL side Manly shortly before leaving Saints, will line up in the centres alongside Mark Gasnier.

"It's nice for Jamie to get an opportunity," Australia head coach Ricky Stuart said. "He's had a tremendous year in England. He's come away from a different style, a different trend of football where he was one of the better players there and now he's got a great opportunity now to fall back into the Australian way of playing and we're happy to have in the side.

"We've been talking to him a little bit about a few of the players and I'll continue to do so now as we moving more into the preparation for (Great Britain)."

With the Kangaroos almost certain to qualify for the Tri-Nations final after wins over New Zealand in their first two games of the tournament, Stuart has taken the opportunity to experiment with his line-up.

As well as Lyon's inclusion at the expense of Brisbane's Justin Hodges, Bronco Brent Tate comes in on the wing in place of Matt King, with St George Illawarra's Ben Hornby replacing Johnathan Thurston at half-back.

Shaun Berrigan gets his first start of the tournament at hooker, with Cameron Smith dropping back to the bench, while Willie Mason returns from injury in place of Andrew Ryan. Brent Kite and Anthony Tupou have retained their places on the bench and Storm's Antonio Kaufusi will make his debut.